Art & Story: Inside the Tide Keepers Collection

Where reclaimed materials meet the ocean's memory

Every brushstroke and recycled scrap of paper in Tide Keepers carries a current—of intentions, motion, and meaning. This evolving collection is my response to the quiet crisis unfolding in our oceans, and a love letter to the beauty that still remains.

Why Tide Keepers?

The idea began with a question:

What does it mean to protect something that cannot ask for help?

Our oceans are full of silent stewards—tide pool guardians, deep-sea travelers, and shoreline drifters—each playing a vital role in the health of our planet. Yet they are disappearing. This collection honors them through layered, mixed-media works that blend storytelling with sustainability.

Where the idea started, the rough sketch and layout of the concept of the pieces. 

Materials That Matter

Many of the materials used in this collection were reclaimed—rescued from recycling bins, beaches, and forgotten drawers.

I work with:

• Torn and cut magazine pages, giving new life to old stories

• Salvaged packaging, creating dimensional layers

• Handmade textures inspired by kelp, coral, and barnacle shells

• Earth-toned and marine-hued paints that echo tidal movement

Each piece is both a meditation and a protest—a reminder that art can be a gentle form of activism.

Where the Work Is Going

In 2025, I was honored to be selected for Ocean III, an international artist residency endorsed by UNESCO’s UN Ocean Decade, in collaboration with MOKU Art Studio and MANGO.

Select pieces from Tide Keepers are being submitted to juried shows and collaborative environmental exhibitions nationwide and globally. These opportunities offer a chance to connect with fellow creatives and changemakers and to bring attention to the fragile ecosystems we rely on.

Get Involved

I invite you to spend time with each work. Let your imagination drift. Let the stories rise up like waves.

🔹Add your input on the creatures in the series

🔹 View the full gallery
🔹 Collect an original work
🔹 Follow my residency journey

Together, we can keep the tide—and the stories—alive.